The President departs Washington, D.C., the evening of Tuesday, June 15, and will arrive at Cointrin International Airport in Geneva, Switzerland, the morning of Wednesday, June 16. Upon arrival, he will travel to the Intercontinental Hotel.

Draped at the foot of the Jura and the Alps on the westernmost tip of Lake Geneva, Geneva is the most cosmopolitan and graceful of Swiss cities. Just a stone's throw from the French border, this French-speaking region's mansarded mansions stand guard beside the River Rhône. The combination of Swiss efficiency and French savoir faire, along with the infusion of international blood from the United Nations, makes for a heterogeneity that is rare in cities with a population of only 180,000. Geneva is also home to the World Health Organization and the International Red Cross.

Courtesy Call with President Ruth Dreifuss of Switzerland
Intercontinental Hotel

Upon arriving to Geneva, the President will pay a brief courtesy call to President Dreifuss of Switzerland before departing for the International Labor Organization.

Speech to the International Labor Organization Conference (ILO)
Assembly Hall

The focus of the President's first day in Europe will be his speech to the International Labor Organization, the world's leading body dedicated to promoting workers' rights and improved labor conditions. The President's remarks will build upon his commencement address at the University of Chicago on Saturday, June 12, in which he called for a new consensus on international trade that expands prosperity while protecting the rights of workers, preserving the environment, and ensuring all benefit from new economic opportunities.

After his speech , the President will meet briefly with the ILO leadership before departing for the United Nations Building.

U.S. Mission Event
U.S. Mission Lawn

Before departing Geneva, the President will visit the U.S. Mission to the United Nations located there. Officially named "The United States Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office and Other International Organizations in Geneva," the U.S. Mission to the U.N. has been headed since January 6, 1998, by U.S. Permanent Representative Ambassador George E. Moose. The seven-story U.S. Mission building, inaugurated in 1980, stands on its own ground in the Geneva commune of Chambesy. It is close to the Palais des Nations in the area set aside by the City of Geneva for international organizations.

Following the U.S. Mission event, the President departs Geneva for Paris, France.

Dinner with President Jacques Chirac of France and Mrs. Chirac

Upon arriving in Paris, the President and First Lady will enjoy a private dinner with President and Mrs. Chirac before retiring for the evening.

Bilateral Meeting and Joint Press Statement with President Chirac
Élysée Palace

The President begins his day in France by joining President Chirac for a viewing of the French Honor Guard, followed by a bilateral meeting between the two leaders. Following their meeting, President Clinton and President Chirac will make statements to the press.

Élysée Palace is the chosen site for their meeting. Since 1871, the Élysée Palace has been the official residence of presidents of the French Republic. Republican guards parade at the Élysée during official visits and keep watch over the Council of Ministers, which takes place each Wednesday morning. The main building is still the original Hôtel d'Évreux, although wings were added to the palace under the Second Empire. On the Champs-Élysées side, the palace opens onto the Avenue Gabriel through the Grille du Coq, which was added in 1900. The magnificent interior is decorated with countless Gobelins tapestries and with 18th century French furniture and paintings.

Previously known as the Hôtel d'Évreux, Élysée Palace was one of the first private houses on the Faubourg, built in 1718 for Comte d'Évreux by architect Armand-Claude Mollet. Once the residence of Louis XV's mistress, Mme de Pompadour, the Hôtel d'Évreux was purchased by King Louis XV in 1794. It was given to the Duchesse of Bourbon-Condé and renamed Élysée-Bourbon. During the French Revolution it became an amusement park, and was later divided up into stores and apartments.

In 1805, Napoleon gave the house to his sister Caroline Murat, who re-decorated it in an opulent style. Napoleon lived at Élysée for a time before giving the house to his beloved wife Josephine as a parting gift. The Élysée later became the property of Louis-Philippe, and then Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon Bonaparte reportedly planned his coup d'état of December 2, 1851 in the Élysée.

Bilateral Meeting with Prime Minister Lionel Jospin of France
Blue Room, Hôtel Matignon

Following his meeting with President Chirac, the President will meet with Prime Minister Jospin at the Hôtel Matignon.

The Hôtel Matignon is a beautifully constructed "townhouse" which serves the residence of the Prime Minister. Similar to the Élysée Palace, it has come to symbolize the pinnacle of state power. Hôtel Matignon was built by Jean Courtonne in 1722 with renovations made throughout the 18th century. The residence was named for one of its original owners, Jacques de Goyon, the Sire of Matignon.

As was customary in the 18th century, the façade of the Hôtel Matignon follows the semicircular line of the courtyard, a configuration that made it easier for carriages to come and go. Jean Courtonne was responsible for the façades (with their elaborate and abundant ornamentation), the layout, and the interior decoration of both the large oval vestibule and the octagonal drawing room. The first-floor Golden drawing room, with decorations by Mazin, has preserved much of its original décor. In 1725 the Duke of Matignon added to the design by constructing a Louis XV pavilion built at the rear end of the park, near the Rue de Babylone.

Embassy and French-American Business Council Events
Salon Bernard, Ambassador's Residence

The President's day ends with two private events: a greeting with the American diplomatic community in Paris at the U.S. Embassy, and meeting with French-American Business Council members. Both are closed to the press.

The President departs Paris Thursday evening en route to Cologne, Germany, where he will remain overnight.

Cologne, the cultural capital of the Rhineland, is Germany's fourth largest city (population 937,000), and is the largest city in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The city, situated on the left bank of the Rhine River, dates to the first century B.C., when Roman invaders colonized it. The Franks and Prussians both ruled the city at one time. The city has at different times marked itself on the map: as a major Roman fortification under Emperor Claudius; as a powerful base of the Roman Catholic Church in the Middle Ages; and today as one of Germany's largest and liveliest cities.

Despite considerable damage during World War II, many historic buildings remain. The Cologne Cathedral, standing on the site of a church completed in 873, is the largest Gothic church in northern Europe and houses art treasures that span more than a millennium. More than 1.5 million people visit the cathedral every year. More than 54,000 students study at the University of Cologne, which was founded 600 years ago. The city houses the German Ford Automobile works, and is famous for hosting the annual "Photokina," the largest photography, film and video fair in the world.

Bilateral Meetings
Library Room, the Hyatt Hotel

The President plans to meet with a number of his G-8 counterparts during the morning of Friday, June 18. The sequence of the bilaterals has yet to be announced. Press availabilities will follow each.

G-7 Working Session
Assembly Hall, The Gürzenich

The G-7 Summit will begin with a plenary session attended by the Heads of State and Government and the President of the EU in the Gürzenich. The leaders will discuss the state of the global economy, reforms to the international financial architecture, new debt initiatives, and nuclear safety in Ukraine.

The Gürzenich is a reconstruction of the 15th century "Gentlemen's Dance Hall," a two-story representational building expressing the patrician spirit of the city fathers. In the late 15th and early 16th centuries, the Gothic structure was used for meetings of emperors, dukes and bishops as well as lavish festivities of the nobility. It serves today as a concert hall as well as a place for representational events and festivities.

Reception Hosted by the Lord Mayor of the City of Cologne
Foyer, Historic Town Hall

The leaders will attend a reception in the Historisches Rathaus, the Historic Town Hall, following the G-7 Working Session. Chancellor Schroeder will greet the President. Inside the Town Hall, the President will be greeted by the Lord Mayor of Cologne, Dr. Norbert Burger and by the Premier of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Wolfgang Clement. Lord Mayor Burger will make brief remarks, followed by Chancellor Schroeder, to the assembled audience of 600 guests.

Cologne's Town Hall is a pastiche of medieval towers, Roman foundations and post-war extensions dating from 1360 to the 1950s. The Renaissance loggia at the front entrance, built in 1573, was the site of proclamations by the Cologne city council, which was often at odds with the archbishops who ruled from the Cathedral. The balustrade above the entrance depicts a former mayor of Cologne, victorious after being thrown into a lion's den by the church authorities. The Town Hall Tower, originally dating from 1414, is another powerful symbol of the townspeople's struggle against the power of the church. A grotesque bearded face, facing east under the tower's clock, sticks out its tongue on the hour, and intended affront to the archbishop. The area in front of the building was a Jewish quarter from the 10th century until the Jews were expelled from Cologne in 1424. Ruins from a Jewish ritual bath, or mikva, can be viewed from the Town Hall Square through a glassed enclosure. A street sign that says "Judengasse," or "Jewish Lane," is part of the city's effort to actively remember its Jewish past.

After the reception, the President proceeds with the other leaders to the Römisch-Germanisches Museum.

G-8 Summit Working Dinner
Mosaic Room, Römisch-Germanisches Museum

At the dinner, the G-8 Heads of State and Government, and the President of the EU will discuss Kosovo and related topics including the Stability Pact and the Southeast Europe Initiative.

The Dionysus Mosaic is the beautifully preserved highlight of Cologne's Römisch-Germanisches Museum (Roman-Germanic Museum) located to the south of the Cathedral. Discovered during the war in 1941, the mosaic is a rare example of an artifact around which a whole museum was built. The many other treasures of the museum -- an exquisite glass and jewelry collection as well as examples of architecture and design were all found in the city or in the near vicinity. They document Roman life and culture in a city that began as a colony nearly 2000 years ago. The gigantic burial monument of the Roman officer Poblicius, unearthed in the 1960s by two Cologne children digging in their backyard, shows the prosperity and significance of the city in the early centuries. The collection of the museum grows larger every year as new construction sites present the city's archeologists with new finds.

The President will depart the Hyatt Hotel in the morning en route Ludwig Museum.

G-8 Summit Working Sessions
Ludwig Museum

The G-8 leaders will hold working sessions throughout the day on Saturday, June 19. In the morning, the working session will focus on the world economy, trade issues and Russia. Following that session, the Summit participants will move out into Heinrich-Böll-Platz for a "Family Photo." They will then return to the Römisch-Germanisches Museum for a working luncheon, where the discussion topic will be "The International Agenda", including Middle East Peace Process, Cyprus, Jordanian debt, and the environment. Following lunch, the leaders will return to Museum Ludwig for a "retreat" for one hour of unscheduled time. The group will then reconvene in full session to discuss social safeguards, employment and education. The session adjourns late that afternoon.

The Ludwig and the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum form one architectural unit that was completed in 1986. Located on the eastern corner of the Dom Square (Heinrich-Böll-Platz), the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum and the Museum Ludwig form one architectural unit that was completed in 1986. The latter houses an impressive collection of 20th century art donated by the chocolate manufacturer and art collector Peter Ludwig and other private collectors. The collection includes German expressionists, Picasso and Braque, classic modern art, American Pop Art, and Russian avant-garde art.

Concert to Benefit Balkan Refugees
Cologne Philharmonic

Saturday evening the Cologne Philharmonic will hold a concert for the benefit of Balkan refugees. President Clinton and the First Lady, the Heads of State and Government from the other G-8 countries and their spouses, the President of the EU and his wife, other members of the official delegations, and members of the general public will attend the concert, which will be broadcast on television.

The Cologne Philharmonic is a sleek and modern concert hall seating about 2000 listeners in a half-round seating design. Completed as part of the Museum Ludwig complex in 1986, the hall is paneled in Canadian red oak, which gives a warm visual and acoustic tone. The Cologne Philharmonic ranks in the top class of international venues, with modern dance festivals and musicals filling out the concert season.

The concert will be followed by an informal dinner for Heads of State and Government and their spouses at Restaurant Em Krützche, which offers regional cooking and a charming old-Rhineland feeling. House specialties include duck and wild pig, cooked in traditional fashion.

G-8 Summit Working Session
Exhibit Hall, Ludwig Museum

The G-8 leaders will hold a final working session on Sunday morning at the Ludwig Museum. The discussion topics may include crisis prevention, development assistance, nonproliferation and disarmament, and the millennium bug (Y2K) problem, as well as final approval of the Summit Communique. The working session will be followed by a Chairman's press conference at the Gurzenich and press conferences by the other Heads of State and Government at the Heumarkt Press Center. The President will depart the Ludwig Museum at the conclusion of the working session.

The President and the First Lady depart Cologne, Germany en route Stimson Chapel in Bonn, Germany.

Remarks on the Summit to the American Community
Stimson Chapel

At the conclusion of the G-8 Summit, the President will address the U.S. Embassy community and witness the formal handover of the Stimson Chapel to the city of Bonn. He will be joined by Ambassador John Kornblum and Bonn Lord Mayor Baerbel Dieckmann. After a short discussion of the Chapel's history, the President will sign the City's Golden Book and enter the sanctuary where Ambassador Kornblum will present the Chapel keys to Mayor Dieckmann. He will then address the audience, which will be composed of Embassy Bonn staff and local officials and citizens.

The Stimson Memorial Chapel, was dedicated on July 18, 1952, to serve the residential complex that housed the American High Commission staff in Plittersdorf. The design, classic New England, is unique in Germany. The Chapel was named after Roosevelt's Secretary of War, Henry Stimson, a supporter of the Marshall Plan and of efforts to rebuild a democratic Germany.

The Chapel has served Bonn's American community for 47 years, hosting youth groups, concerts, weddings and funerals. Currently two congregations use the facility: the American Protestant Church and St. Thomas More Parish. With the move later this year of the official American community to Berlin, a group of German and American citizens sought to raise the money to buy the property as a monument to German-American friendship. Instead, the United States agreed to donate the facility to the city of Bonn. The Chapel will continue to be used as a multinational, non-denominational English-speaking church and will serve as a permanent reminder of the American presence in Bonn.

US-EU Leaders Summit
Adenauer Room, Palais Schaumburg

The meeting will begin with a 60-minute restricted session including the President, Chancellor Schroeder, and outgoing European Commission President Jacques Santer. The focus will be discussion of latest developments regarding Kosovo, including reconstruction and the Southeastern European Stability Pact. Russia and Ukraine will also be discussed. After the restricted session, the President will meet briefly with the Transatlantic Business Dialogue to listen to their recommendations for the coming year, and then join the cabinet ministers for a 45-minute plenary.

The Palais Schaumburg, built in 1858 as the retirement home of a wealthy German banker, was a residence of Prince Adolf zu Schaumburg-Lippe and his wife, Princess Victoria of Prussia, a sister of Kaiser Wilhelm II, from 1891-1939. It was designated as the official residence of the German Chancellor immediately after Bonn was chosen as the Federal Republic's provisional capital in 1949. Konrad Adenauer, founding Chancellor of the Federal Republic, worked there. The Chancellor's office has been restored to the condition in which he left it, including several of the electrical gadgets he enjoyed tinkering with. It served as both residence and office of the Chancellor until the New Chancellery was completed in 1976.

US-EU Press Availability with Chancellor Schroeder and Jacques Santer
Palais Schaumburg Lawn

Following the press availability, the President and the First Lady depart Palais Schaumburg en route Ljubljana International Airport, Slovenia.. From there, they will proceed to the Slovenia Foreign Ministry.

Slovenia is a relatively small country, but it is blessed with spectacular variety and beauty. The high Julian and Kamnik Alps form the western and northern borders, the Pannonian plain extends to Hungary while a versatile landscape of hills, valleys, rivers and woods which cover half of the country leads to Croatia. Limestone formations provide Slovenia with the unique geographical phenomena "kras" (the Karst), with over 1,000 underground caves, and vanishing rivers and lakes. The short stretch of Adriatic coast in the southwest hosts picturesque villages and small towns and the modern Port of Koper.

Ljubljana is a dynamic European city lying between the Alps and the Mediterranean. Ljubljana is situated at an altitude of 298 m above sea level, while the hilltop castle in the center of the city stands at an altitude of 366 m.

Ljubljana's geographical position has governed its colorful past. A brisk migration of nations flowed through the Ljubljana Gateway, part of the natural entrance from Central Europe to the Mediterranean, the Balkans and on towards the East.

At a national referendum held on December 23, 1990, the people of Slovenia voted for independence and sovereignty and on June 26, 1991, the Republic of Slovenia proclaimed its independence. With this, Ljubljana became the capital of a new state, the heart of the political, economic, cultural and scientific life of the Slovene nation, which its inhabitants and even a number of visitors have described as a "city of human dimensions". Ljubljana, with only some 276,000 inhabitants and thus one of the smaller or medium sized European cities, is nevertheless a great city. It has everything which cities of a million boast, as well as being the national and republican center, and even more - it contains all that gives a city worldly magnitude.

Bilateral Meetings with President Milan Kucan and Prime Minister Janez Drnovsek of Slovenia
Government Palace

Upon arrival to Slovenia, the President will meet with the nation's leadership for bilateral meetings. President Kucan will escort the President up to the Grand Hall, which is a large cream colored baroque room, for still photos. Afterward, they will proceed to his receiving room. Prior to the President's meeting with Prime Minister Drnovsek, there will be a still photo opportunity. They will be joined in the large cabinet room by the Foreign Minister, the Defense Minister, the Minister of Economy, and the Minister of Interior.

Eight Presernova Street is where the President and the Prime Minister's offices are located. It is a large white building, constructed in 1898 as the headquarters of the former provincial government of Carniola in Austrian-Hungarian Empire. In 1945, it became the headquarters of the Executive Council of the Socialist Republic of Slovenia, which it remained until Slovene independence in 1991.

Following his meetings, the President will depart for Congress Square.

Remarks to People of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Congress Square

The President will address the people of Slovenia in Ljubljana's Congress Square. In his remarks, the President will cite Slovenia as a model for Southeastern Europe. The United States, together with its European partners, seek to duplicate Slovenia's success throughout the region. The President will also honor Leon Stukelj, the oldest living Olympic gold medallist, who at 100 years old is a beloved figure in Slovenia.

Congress Square derives its name from the Congress of the Holy Alliance which met here in 1821 to reassert imperial authority over the region in the wake of Napoleon's defeat and the collapse of the Illyrian provinces (of which Ljubljana was the capital). Three monarchs participated: the Austrian Emperor, the Russian Czar and the King of Naples. This congress captured the attention of Europe by reasserting the authority of the monarchs in Europe. Among the buildings that surround the square is the Philharmonic, which houses one of the oldest philharmonic orchestras in the world. At the south side of the square is the University of Ljubljana, which was established in 1919. It was from the university's balcony overlooking the square that Tito would deliver his orations to the Slovene people and where the Slovene poet, Tone Pavcek issued the May Declaration in 1989, anticipating Slovenia's formal independence in 1991. Across from the square, wherein there is an avenue of trees in the shape of an octagonal star, is Ursuline Church of the Holy Trinity (1726), esteemed as the city's best example of baroque architecture.

After his remarks, the President will depart for the Union Hotel, where the First Lady will join him. After an hour of down time, they will both depart for Brdo Castle.

Dinner Hosted by President Milan Kucan of Slovenia
Brdo Castle

President Kucan will escort President Clinton to the courtyard, where there will be a receiving line and brief evening entertainment. Afterward, the President will greet the five opposition parliamentarians before going into the dining room, where there will be toasts and then dinner.

Situated in a park-like setting with Mount Storzic as a backdrop, Brdo Castle was built in the first half of the 16th century for Geog on Egg who was the imperial counselor to the Hapsburgs. After World War II, the castle and adjoining lands were nationalized and became a summer residence of Tito. It is a large square building around a central courtyard. The Hunter's Room contains an impressive array of Tito's game trophies, including a stuffed bear. In 1991, the castle became the property of the Republic of Slovenia and is currently used for large meetings and state visits. The dining room is a long hall, with the table extending the entire length. There will be approximately 120 people at the dinner, including the five opposition parliamentarians and the Head of Parliament.

Following dinner, the President and the First Lady will return to the Union Hotel.

The President departs Slovenia en route to the Republic of Macedonia and then to Aviano Air Base in Italy

The Republic of Macedonia is located in southeastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. A former constituent republic of Yugoslavia, it is bounded on the north by Serbia, on the east by Bulgaria, on the south by Greece, and on the west by Albania. The country declared its independence from Yugoslavia in November 1991.

Macedonia covers an area of approximately 9,928 square miles and is completely landlocked. Its terrain is punctuated alternately by deep valleys and rugged mountains and hills. Its four largest lakes -- Ohrid, Prespa, Dojran, and Mavrovo -- cover a total water surface of over 410 square miles.

President Clinton will visit Aviano Air Base in Italy to meet with U.S. and NATO military personnel assigned and deployed to the base. Military personnel at Aviano were deeply involved in Operation Allied Force, and the President will express the nation's gratitude for their role in achieving the peace accord. The President will also make remarks at a public event on the importance of the NATO peacekeeping operation in Kosovo.

Aviano Air Base is located at the northern end of the Po Valley, the largest agricultural plain in Italy. Aviano is the home to the Headquarters, 16th Air Force commanded by Lieutenant General Michael Short, and the 31st Fighter Wing commanded by Brigadier General Daniel Leaf. Sixteenth Air Force is the United States European Command's Air Force "war fighter" in the region, with forces continually engaged in peace enforcement, humanitarian relief, crisis response, air deterrence or combat operations. With more expeditionary wings than permanent wings, 16th Air Force leads the Air Force expeditionary culture. The F-16s of the 31st Fighter Wing, along with many other deployed aircraft and their support crews, were instrumental in the NATO air campaign that helped bring about the Kosovo peace accord.